A Fey Wedding
by cookiecravings
Summary: Meghan is pulled into the world of Faery not to rescue Ethan but to save the two courts. She must choose among the three Winter princes; Sage, Rowan and Ash to be her prince consort. Only a royal wedding between Summer and Winter will cement a much needed alliance in the face of the coming war with the Iron Fey. Puck disapproves and gives everyone a merry chase. CHAPTER 3 NOW UP!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Ethan is safe and has never been to Faery. Both Summer and Winter courts know of the existence of the Iron fey. Elysium lasts for over a month. Meghan is taken into Nevernever by Puck to help save the courts from the Iron fey. To do this, Meghan has to choose one of the Winter princes to be her royal groom to cement the alliance between the courts as they prepare for war. Guess which prince she picks. Puck objects to the union of course.**

* * *

"It is done." King Oberon gazed at her impassively. "At the turn of the season, you will be wed to a prince of Winter."

* * *

Meghan looked away from the revelries, shaking away the echo of her father's voice from her head. It was the middle of Elysium. Even after a month in Nevernever it was still hard to believe that this other world existed. Let alone that she was a part of it. Half-blood daughter of the faery king of the Summer court. Unbelievable.

And now, _marriage_.

She was sixteen, for chrissakes! Her mouth tightened at the thought. Only panicked desperation gave her the idea to buy time and ask her father that she at least be allowed to get to know the three princes before choosing one of them to marry.

Thinking of the three royals made her think of the youngest, Ash. Of the three, he was the one that unsettled her the most. Remembering their dance at the start of the Elysium caused her cheeks to flame and her frown to turn into a glower of denial.

"Keep making that face and it'll stay stuck like that," A lazy voice warned her from behind. "Princess."

Meghan whirled, hair flying and saw a pair of green eyes smiling down at her. "Puck!" She threw her arms around the boy and hugged him hard.

Puck let out a laugh, holding her lightly by the waist. "Miss me?" he asked teasingly.

Meghan pulled away and poked him on the chest. "You jerk! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you. The brownies won't say anything and I don't exactly get along with the other fae girls here. Did you know the queen wanted to turn me into a deer?" she shuddered at the memory. "Good thing my father arrived. I'd be turning on a spit by now or have my stuffed head displayed somewhere in her highness—"

She stopped abruptly, her expression horrified. "Crap! Weren't you punished for playing that prank on the queen? Does my father know? You're going to be in so much trouble! We have to hide–mmpf!"

"Shhh." Puck lifted his hand away from her mouth. "I know about the marriage contract," He looked up over her head scanning the crowd behind her. His eyes narrowed. "and now, we are getting out of here."

Puck wrapped his arms around her and swiftly turned, the two of them disappearing into a flurry of leaves.

* * *

_Elsewhere. In the private chambers of the Unseelie._

"My queen, I seek an audience with you." Ash dropped to one knee, his head bowed low. A spill of midnight satin was all that was visible from his position.

"Greetings, Ash, third prince of Winter." Though her voice was light the queen's tone carried a note of warning. "Your request is granted. What would you have of me, my son?"

Ash hesitated. "It is…a private matter, my queen."

Ash felt the weight of Mab's gaze lift to the gathered nobles behind him. "Leave us." The queen's voice rang hollowly in the icy room.

Ash waited until the large doors closed before looking up to his mother. "My queen, this alliance–"

"You are a prince of winter, Ash." Queen Mab interrupted. "Loyalty to your queen and court is all that should interest you."

"You have three sons, my queen. Only one is needed for this alliance to succeed." Ash tried to keep his tone neutral.

"So reasonable." Rowan's voice cut in mockingly. "Is he not, my queen? He would rather we serve ourselves on a platter for the half-breed than risk besmirching the memory of his eternal love."

Mab leaned back in the tall high back chair and stared down at Ash, her face empty. "Rowan, it is ill-advised of you to do this now."

"Forgive me, my queen." Rowan said smoothly, making a low bow from his stance behind the queen's chair. His eyes, glinting, sought that of Ash. "Unlike my brother, I am more than willing to sacrifice myself to a union with the half-breed to help our race."

The queen continued to gaze at Ash. "What of you, Sage, my first born? Do I need to seek your counsel on this as well?"

Sage stepped forward from his position behind Ash. "Our youngest is in mourning, m'lady. Ariella's passing is a fresh wound to him still."

"Sage." Ash flashed his eldest brother a dark look.

"Enough of this. Stand up, Ash." Mab waved a hand at Rowan. "Join your brothers."

Ash straightened into a rigid stance beside Sage. Rowan walked to the other side of Sage giving Ash a small sly smile.

The queen settled against her seat, her hands leaving frost on the arms of the chair. "The half-blood is the only royal progeny of Oberon. This marriage will cement the alliance between Winter and Summer. An alliance we need if we are to survive the invasion of the Iron fey."

"Centuries of fighting between our two courts have made us ever distrustful of each other. Quick to answer with blood rather than reason, that is the fruit of all our warring. Only a royal wedding will ease the tension between our people."

"Oberon," Mab's face twisted in distaste. "acceded to his daughter's request that she be wooed by each of you in turn before she makes her choice for her consort. You have until the the week before the turning of the Sceptre of Seasons."

"All three of us to stay at the Summer court to woo the princess will greatly weaken our house, m'Lady. We risk much by staying here alone." Sage reasoned.

"Your guards will stay with you here as part of your entourage." Mab stood up and glided towards the three men. "As a sign of trust, the summer queen, Titania and her entourage will stay in our court until the seasons change."

Rowan quirked a brow. "Titania hates the half-breed. It must have taken a great boon from Oberon to get her to agree to spend summer in our territory."

Mab waved a hand in irritation. "Do not remind me. I am not eager to play host to that shrew." She sighed in annoyance. "Not having my sons in attendance will be a great inconvenience."

"Then have Sage and Rowan do the wooing. I will return to our court at the end of Elysium." Ash abruptly said. "I want no part of this." He shook his head in a short violent movement.

"I am your queen!" Sudden anger chased across Mab's face like flashing light on ice. "You have been given an opportunity to help preserve our existence. You would risk the safety of the realm for a mere memory of a long dead lover!" Shadows began to lengthen across the room. "How dare you deny me?"

"Mother–" Ash began, his voice tight against the buzzing sensation of her magic crawling on his skin.

Mab's eyes narrowed. "My son you may be but a prince of Winter, first and foremost!" Her power caused the room to steam with cold, icy stalactites forming on the ceiling.

Silence reigned save for the sharp sounds of ice cracking. Mab took a deep breath, hands pressed to her middle. She watched Ash's hands fist at his sides and sighed.

Her magic subsided, the power quiet but still humming. She reached out and placed her hand against Ash's cheek. "It is done, Ash. Do your duty."

After a short pause, Ash nodded. He will do his duty to the letter; nothing less, nothing more. Attending to the summer princess at the designated time is all that he will do. He will leave it to his brothers to do the actual courting.

Mab's hand tightened on his chin. "Take caution, my son. A true wooing it must be. Else, Oberon will see it as a farce and demand recompense for what he'll deem a humiliation of his daughter." Ash looked into the dark eyes in front of him, eyes that warned him disobedience will be punished. "Half-blood she may be but she is still a summer princess and due the same consideration you would give a winter noble."

"Yes, my queen." He finally answered in a low voice.

Mab let go of him with a gentle pat and gazed at her two other sons. "That goes for you both as well."

After getting nods from Sage and Rowan, she turned and glided towards the door. "Let us rejoin the festivities. I expect you to make your presence known to the princess. A dance each should do nicely for a start."

* * *

Tansy cowered before the king. "I am sorry m'Lord. We cannot find the princess anywhere."

King Oberon's face remained impassive but the sourceless shining light around the hall flickered erratically. "You are dismissed." The satyr fled the throne room. King Oberon turned back and sat down on the throne.

Beside him, in an identical throne, Titania had a feathery fan held close to her face, her eyes up tilted in a questioning look.

"Do I unpack then?" Titania asked innocently.

King Oberon threw her a look. The summer queen's laughter tinkled in the air.

* * *

The news of the missing princess spread quickly. It was soon found out that her flight from the Summer court was aided by Robin Goodfellow. When he found out, the king's anger was a storm of such proportions it caused boulders from mountains a hundred mile away to cascade into the valleys below.

It was only his spectacular display of displeasure that saved the tenuous alliance and convinced Queen Mab that the princess' disappearance was an unplanned event and not a betrayal of their contract.

It was decided that the three princes will go on a hunt. A royal hunt for the summer princess. The one who finds her first will win a small favor from the Summer king.

Ash was divided. On the one hand, he considered the situation a reprieve from the inevitable torture of a hopeless courtship with a half-human fey princess. On the other hand, he was known in the realm as a hunter without peer. It would be expected of him to succeed ahead of his brothers. The fact that it was Goodfellow accompanying the princess was a sour finish to his short-lived euphoria.

Sage was wrong. He mourned Ariella. To this day, it was true. But, it was the memory of another face too close to his, another girl held tightly against him in a dance too short that made him hesitate.

For so long now, he held on to the memory of Ariella and their love together. In the centuries since her passing no woman has managed to hold his attention. So how could a slip of a girl, a half-human, inspire such an instant and irresistible attraction?

Ash brooded over this while he rode his horse swiftly through the wyldwood. He had been tracking the pair for over an hour and surmised that they would be heading for the barrows that hid a village of pixies. His brothers were at least a good while behind him. He could slow down his mount and go around the barrows, double back in time for either Sage or Rowan to get ahead of him.

_"Do your duty."_

Hearing an echo of his mother's words, Ash exhaled in resignation and spurred his horse faster. Who'd have thought duty would be this confusing.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Some nifty info to keep everything going smoothly. I've expanded on the magic aspects of all the fey. In Puck's case I'm borrowing from John Milton's L'Allegro's **** version of Puck **(never read it, just saw it appended on the wiki page of Puck, the folklore character.) He'll be otherwise known as the Green Man, a vegetative deity with all the power it entails, namely control over earthy stuff (plants and flowers).

**Since Ash is supposed to be a prince of Winter, I figured he should be higher up on the power totem pole than the rest of the fae of his court. He'll get more powers too and he'll be very hard to kill and physically very strong. The same goes for all the royalty in the story.**

**Meghan, though in Faery for a while now, still thinks and behaves like a human. Please keep that in mind when she's reacting to metal monsters out to rip her to shreds. She'll kick ass once she starts manifesting her power.**

**Originally, I intended to update every other week. But, whaddayaknow? I finished a chapter early. Enjoy! **

**GUYS, THANKS FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS, FAVS AND FOLLOWS. I'm happy someone out there is enjoying this. Cookies for everybody! :)**

* * *

"Puck! We have to stop." Meghan patted the neck of the horse in front of her with a bit of urgency. The dark horse snorted and kept galloping.

Meghan tightened her hold on the mount's mane and pulled. It slowed and turned its head, rolling its eyes up to meet her gaze.

"Let me down, Puck." she said firmly.

The horse snorted again and finally halted, stomping his hoofs on the wet ground. Meghan dismounted, staggering in the mossy floor of the wood with her arms flailing to keep her balance. The slippered shoes that went with the gown she wore to the festival were not meant for a trek in the forest. The skirt of the dress immediately got soaked, making movement difficult.

The stallion reared with a gusty explosion of wind and leaves and Puck appeared in front of her. He roughly combed his hand through his hair, dislodging stray leaves caught in the strands.

"I don't think this latest stunt will just end with you being turned into a raven." Meghan said wryly. She dusted dry leaves off the bodice of her gown. "What were you thinking, Puck?"

Puck took a step closer and plucked a leaf tangled in her hair. "To get you away. Didn't really think past that."

Astonished laughter burst out of her. "I knew the fey were flighty but even you should have known better. Where were we headed anyway?"

Puck turned and gestured to the distance. "At the edge of this side of the wood is a bog. There's a village of pixies living there guarding a trod that leads back to the mortal world. We're going back and leaving Nevernever behind."

Meghan stared at him. "You're kidding me."

Puck just looked back at her.

She turned and started walking in the direction from where they came. "I'm heading back. You better hope nobody noticed I'm gone. Probably impossible seeing as we've been riding for a while now."

There was no answer. Meghan struggled to walk through the woods. Her feet seem to get sucked into the ground with each step. _This is gonna get gross very quickly. _Meghan thought irritably. She hiked the skirt above her knees for better maneuverability, splattering her legs with mud.

Puck voice floated quietly behind her.

"I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

Meghan paused."I appreciate the sentiment but you brought me here, Puck." she reminded him coolly. She began walking again, the soles of her shoes squishing with every step. She grimaced.

"I didn't know the King was going to marry you off to a winter sidhe." He sounded agitated. "I would never have brought you here otherwise, orders or no orders."

She continued walking, slogging through the wet grass. "Well, it doesn't matter what you think now, does it? I'm a princess now and I have duties to fulfill." she said a touch ironically.

She heard rapid steps behind her and then Puck was pulling her around. "Why? Why do this? We can return to the human world and get away from all of this."

"No, we can't!" Meghan said sharply, pulling away. She glared up at him. "Don't you think I've thought this through? I can't leave! If I do, the courts will start fighting. I've been here long enough to see that they're all just itching for a reason to start a fight with each other."

"People will die. My…father may die." Meghan continued in a low voice. "Without the alliance the courts will be easy pickings for the Iron fey."

"These people are unknown to you." Puck searched her face. "You're not obligated to any of them. How can you just give your life away like this?" He gripped her arms.

"You'll die!" Meghan shouted. She slapped a hand against his chest. "Dammit, Puck!" She hit him again. "Even if we escape to my world how long until you start to fade? If the Iron fey takes over, Nevernever will be destroyed and you'll die too!" Just saying it out loud filled her with a nameless dread. "I don't–I c-can't...can't have that on my head. Not if there's a way to prevent it."

She was about to hit him again when he wrapped his hand around her much smaller one and pressed it against his chest. Puck wrapped his other arm around her pulling her into a hug.

"Meghan," Puck began softly, "there's no guarantee that going through this union will win us the war."

Meghan turned her face away. Puck placed two fingers on her cheek and turned her around until their eyes met.

"People will die." he said. "That's a given in any major conflict. Oberon is strong and so is Titania and Mab. They'll rally the troops just fine even without the alliance." His eyes crinkled. "I'm touched you worried about me but I've been around a very long time. I think I can last for a few more centuries."

"Stop joking about it." Meghan shook her head. "King Oberon...my father... wouldn't make this decision lightly. The guy had you pretend to be a kid and grow up as my neighbor just so you could keep watch over me."

She laid her face on his chest and listened to the heart beating underneath. The sound was calming her down. "You told me he never wanted me to know about the fey, that my life would be in danger if I got involved in any way with you guys. Having you bring me here means they're running out of options."

Meghan pulled back and looked into his eyes, her face serious. "This wedding is obviously a big deal if the King was willing to make sixteen years of hiding me go poof. If there was another way, my father would have taken it."

Puck let go of her slowly. "How are you so reasonable about this?" Frustration was clear in his voice.

"One of us has to be." she gave him a sad smile. "Marriage to a prince is not exactly a fate worse than death."

The mention of her impending nuptials to a winter prince made Puck's face darken. "Meghan–" he broke off, his head jerking up to look over her head. "Get behind me."

Meghan was about to protest when she heard it too. She looked behind her shoulder and her eyes widened.

* * *

A scream pierced the gloom of the forest.

It sounded distinctly female, high-pitched and very human.

Ash urged his horse faster. He broke through the clearing and found his prey. Taking everything at a glance he unsheathed his sword in one smooth practiced motion and charged.

Before he could reach the nearest metal creature it skewered Puck with a clawed hand. Leaves whirled and Puck vanished.

_A fake_. Ash thought dispassionately. He went for the metal creature and struck a blow. Sparks flew off his blade with a sharp whine.

"Ice boy! Good of you to join us." Puck called out merrily. Puck threw wooden daggers one after the other at another of the hulking metal beings. They lodged into the bends and hollows of the joints of the creature. It made it stumble to its knees, one arm hanging useless on its side.

"Goodfellow."

A quick inspection showed there were only two of the enemy. Metallic and misshapen, they were roughly six feet tall, bipedal but with four arms each. Two of the arms ended in blades for fingers while the other pair of arms looked like a pincer and and a short metal pole with a broad flat head. Where there should have been eyes there were jagged tears instead. Inside it glowed red like banked coals. The jaws look hinged with small metal bearings and the mouth filled with sawtoothed edges. They had the look of foot soldiers.

Ash calmly slashed his sword at the metal claws about to shred him. The blade cut cleanly through the creature's arm inciting a buzzing shriek to erupt from it. Its three other arms lunged for the mounted prince.

Ash turned his horse aside and brought down his sword in another cutting blow. "Where is the princess?" Another metal arm fell to the floor followed by more shrieking.

"Safe." Puck grunted. Puck's taller form easily held the crouched beast immobile with his arms wrapped around it. Holding the creature like so also trapped the remaining functional arms to its side. "Can you hurry up? All this metal is burning my face off." He bent his head lower and hid it against the back of the neck of the creature, avoiding the snapping jaws reaching for him.

Ash glanced towards the summer fey and saw a second Puck standing in front of the first holding the hulking metal soldier. As he watched, the summer fey bent and buried his hands in the soil. The ground rippled like it was alive, shoots erupted in a circle around Puck and the metal being. It swirled upwards, wrapping thorny vines around the legs of the creature. More green shoots came out, thickening into strong green limbs. The second Puck let go and quickly stepped away. The metal soldier struggled in vain, slashing at the rapidly growing branches.

The winter prince's attention was brought back to the beast in front of him. There was a clash in the air; Ash's sword meeting the enemy's blades.

"Oldblood." It snarled at him. "We will destroy you."

Ash ignored it and called ice to his sword. Frost climbed on the surface. Where it touch the enemy's blade it began to spread quicker. The glowing eyes flashed red hot in fear. It scrabbled backwards with a hiss.

Ash dismounted and raised his sword to the neck of the creature. "Iron fey."

The moment the tip of his sword touched the metal soldier, frost spread like a mist covering every surface. The metal face reared on its neck, mouth opening wide in a cry and froze. Frost climbed in through its throat coating its entire body in freezing ice. The glowing eyes cooled and died. A moment later, cracks appeared on its body and then shattered into a thousand pieces.

"We are not so easy to kill." Ash stood in front of the heap of cooling metal, eyes empty. He sheathed his sword and turned to face Puck, his cloak swirling behind him.

He saw that Puck had dealt with the Iron fey in his own way. The green man had wrapped the metal soldier in vegetation, the wooden limbs twining around it and crushing the body it held until dead. His doppelgänger had disappeared.

He turned his gaze to Puck. "Where is she?"

* * *

Meghan felt like she was moving in slow motion. Her mind was murky with images of a hideous metal face coming towards her. At first she couldn't understand what she was seeing. A scream of pure fear had burst out of her. She saw Puck slash at the creature with a sword. She didn't even know he had one on him.

Two more Pucks had popped out of nowhere, surprising her. She had watched as the doppelgängers battled the two creatures.

She vaguely recalled hearing the original Puck say something. It sounded like a spell. She turned to him in a daze and suddenly his green eyes filled her vision. Everything glowed a brilliant emerald. Then nothing. Just this weightless feeling.

Floating in the void felt good, it made her feel safe. But, something was nagging at her. It was hard to think about it when every thought felt so insubstantial. All worries were immaterial in this space. All that mattered was she felt safe, cocooned.

Suddenly, a light broke through the womb-like dimness. It expanded to encompass her. Then she was falling, gentle hands caught her, holding her close.

"Hey, hey...Meggie-girl."

"Puck?" she asked groggily. She looked around the glade and saw a curiously tall twisted bush behind the tall boy.

Meghan turned her gaze back to Puck. "What happened?"

Puck nodded behind her. She turned her head and watched as a gaping fissure in the trunk of the giant tree fold back together like it was stitching itself closed until no evidence of an opening was visible.

"You put me inside a tree?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Safest place I could think of." Puck shrugged.

Meghan remembered the metal animal lunging at them. She scrambled to her knees, her eyes frantic. "The monsters! Where are they?"

"Dealt with." A quiet voice answered from behind.

She jerked around, twisting her body and her eyes fell on the tall form in dark garb standing by a what looked like a pile of scrap metal.

"Prince Ash!" she gasped.

"Princess Meghan." he bowed, a short nod of his head. He kept his hand on the pommel of his sword, his eyes scanning the forest. "We best make haste and return to your father's domain. There may be more of these abominations." He gestured at the curiously misshapen tree in the center of the clearing and the metal pieces on the ground beside him.

"Is that what I think it is?" Meghan was reluctant to hear their answer.

"The remains of what attacked you, yes." Ash walked towards his horse. He grabbed the bridle and swung himself on the saddle. He held out a hand to Meghan. "Princess."

"She can ride with me." Puck stood up and tugged Meghan to her feet. He kept an arm around her waist holding her elbow.

"You took her away from her father's court." Ash wheeled his horse around to face them. "I do not trust you not to run away with her again, Goodfellow."

Ash turned his attention to Meghan. "M'lady. We cannot dally." Again he held out his hand to her.

Meghan turned to Puck. "It's ok. We need to go back, Puck."

The tall redhead reluctantly let her go. Puck watched her go to the winter prince with a grim look in his eyes.

Meghan walked in Ash's direction. Along the way she had to go past the remains of the shattered metal monster. Something glimmered within the broken pieces. She stopped and stared, her expression curious. She stepped closer. Bending down she picked up what looked like a flat amber-like disc set in a silvery casing. The thing was cold. She turned it over and found that the edge of the silvery casing branched off into three overlapping circles over the face of the disc. Right in the middle of the translucent surface was an imprint of a leaf. It caught the waning sunlight and refracted a white glow in the twilight gloom.

"May I see that, Princess?" Ash spoke.

Meghan looked up at Ash and walked forward until she reached his side. She gave the medallion another look before handing it to Ash. He inspected it with an inscrutable expression, rubbing the engraved surface. His eyes flickered and if she wasn't watching him so intently she would have missed how his lips tightened when he saw the imprint on the disc.

_Did he recognized it?_ Meghan wondered.

Ash tucked the disc inside his coat. He extended his hand to Meghan. "We must leave now, Princess." Something in his tone made Meghan obey hastily.

She placed her hand in his. The prince tightened his grip and pulled her effortlessly in front of him. Her sodden skirts dripped on the side and she sat stiffly in the saddle. She shifted awkwardly trying to keep her back from touching him. Sitting side saddle made her efforts harder to accomplish.

"Princess." Ash leaned forward and reached for the reins tied loosely on the saddle's pommel. "You need not suffer my touch for long. We will be in the Summer court soon enough."

Meghan felt mortified. "It's not that, your highness." How can she explain that being near him made her conscious of how she looked? She felt grimy from her short encounter with the wyldwood. It was ridiculous to be so concerned about her appearance after nearly getting killed. But, there you go. She was going to be a girl about it.

"I don't exactly feel presentable right now." she said ruefully. She tried to explain but Ash kicked the horse into a gallop before she could continue. They flew over a log and were soon chasing their way back to the summer territories. Not that she could tell. Navigating a forest was not a skill she learned while living in Louisiana.

_Maybe the prince doesn't care one way or the other. _Meghan raked stray curls away from her face. She kept her gaze low, watching the greenery blur past. Puck in his horse form was keeping pace beside them.

Her attempts to sit away from him nearly caused her to slide out of the saddle. Meghan yelped and then a strong arm was around her waist pulling her flush against a solid chest.

"The ride will go easier if you lean on me." The quiet words were breathed into her ear. It made her insides clench in response. Meghan gave a short nod and gazed blindly in front of her. _Easy for you to say. _

She bit her lip and focused on regulating her breathing. She was acutely aware of every movement from the winter prince. From the rasping sound of their clothing as they rocked against each other to the way each breath he exhaled blew tendrils of her hair. He was cool to the touch but the hand holding her steady was surprisingly warm. It made her wonder. _After all, his heart still pumps blood, right? _

"Brother!"

Meghan turned her face to the right. Sage was pulling up to them, his horse nearly abreast. Like his younger brother he had on a dark leather jerkin, the collar high with silver thread shot through the material. His cloak flew behind him, his long braided hair streaming in the wind.

"You have her." Sage gave Meghan a faint smile. "Greetings, Princess Meghan."

"Prince Sage." Meghan returned stiffly.

"Where is Rowan?" Ash asked.

"We will meet him on the road soon enough." Sage looked beyond at the other horse running with them. "Goodfellow." His tone dropped a few degrees. The horse snickered in answer.

Sage turned cool eyes to Ash. "Why is he with you?"

"This is not the time or place, brother." Ash replied curtly. "We need to reach safety first." He urged his horse faster.

At that comment, Sage eyes narrowed slightly. He cast a quick survey around them.

The gloom was deeper now that they were losing sunlight. Sounds began to erupt as the wyldwood woke to the night. The trees shook with a howl and rustles disturbed the shrubs and bushes. What looked like firefly lights popped into existence. Strangely they did not glow with a uniform yellow green hue. Some of the lights glowed an icy blue or a sickly green. Some of those lights glowed red like banked eyes watching in the growing darkness.

Sage fell silent and followed his brother's actions, urging his own stallion faster.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Oh wow. This was a hard chapter. I kept revising the events since whatever happens here will decide the direction of all future chapters (mostly) unless I become off tangent again. Will post another chapter by early October. Have to be a work ninja for the next week or so. T_T But, yay! More moolah for cookies. :)**

**Guys, title has been changed to "A Fey Wedding". FYI. :)**

* * *

By day the wyldwood looked like any other forest. Filled with towering trees with branches lost in the sky, green moss covering its trunks in a profusion of color, warm light dappled on the ground like a living blanket. The strange flora adding a sense of enchantment and mystery.

At night, however, the canopy of trees turned oppressive and sinister. The rising mists creeping over the ground with seeming ill intent. The weak light of the moon throwing ghostly shadows in every hollow. Wild fey began to caw and emit chilling sounds in the growing night. The wyldwood was not an inviting place in the dark but it did provide an exhilarating hunting grounds for three friends in the past.

Ash looked to his right expecting to see Ariella. Instead, he found only a once boyhood friend turned bitter enemy. Something inside him twisted at the sight of the empty spot between him and Puck. Memories spilled through him in quick flashes. A joyous laugh. Bright blue green eyes alight in happiness. The flash of silver hair.

He turned his gaze to the girl child in his arms. Her hair was escaping from its intricate arrangement, silver strands unraveling in the wind. Ash met the apprehensive eyes looking up at him._ Blue green eyes. Like Ariella._

"Prince Ash? Umm…can you loosen your grip a bit?"

The cautious voice jerked him out of reverie. He immediately relaxed his hold on Meghan. "My apologies, princess."

"No big." Meghan answered, her voice high.

Ash lifted his gaze to the path in front of him. Both his brother and Puck were keeping pace easily. Even with his attention focused on the ground ahead, Ash could feel Meghan watching him intensely.

When he first met her, riding with Puck through the wyld, he had taken her for a lost human. Puck's presence only goaded him to hunt her in the assumption that going after her will create trouble for the green man. On their next meeting at the beginning of Elysium her introduction as the daughter of the summer king took him by surprise.

She was a curiosity. A half-human summer princess. Dressed as she was in fey regalia, she had resembled Ariella to a point that it had unnerved him for a moment.

Dancing with her had been a mistake. He had taken her mortality as proof of her inferiority. Her humanity an insult to the fey courts. But, she had displayed such grace in the dance. Light on her feet and moving easily with the music. Holding her as they spun around the dance floor, in that moment, he had forgotten. Being alone. Being plague by silence. For a moment, he had forgotten Ariella.

"I see something ahead." Sage called out. He slowed his mount.

Ash followed suit and squinted into the distance. He could make out a dark mound in the middle of the path. The mist had all but engulfed it. As they neared it, the mist parted to reveal a familiar form.

"It's Rowan!" Sage unsheathed his sword with a sharp hiss. The brothers shared a quick glance. "If there is any sign of an enemy…"

"…I will take the princess to safety." Ash finished. He unconsciously pressed a hand on Meghan's shoulder pushing her closer to his chest.

Puck's equine form reared and vanished in a whirl of leaves.

"Don't be so high-handed, princeling." Puck appeared standing beside him, a glass blade in each hand. "I'll be the one keeping Meghan safe."

"Puck, not really the right time?" Meghan pushed against Ash's chest. She craned her neck to look at Rowan's fallen form. "Shouldn't we help him?"

Ash took out his sword. He watched Meghan's eyes widen. "There may be more of the metal creatures, princess."

The horses whickered. Ash watched the surroundings in front of him, Sage doing a search to his right and Puck doing the same on his left. Sage dismounted and slowly approached his brother's fallen form. He bent and placed a hand on Rowan's shoulder and carefully turned him over. Rowan groaned.

"He's hurt." Sage said quietly. "But, alive."

Sage set his sword beside Rowan's body and crouched by his side. He placed both hands over Rowan's torso.

"Can he ride?" Ash called out. He watched Sage move his hands an inch above Rowan's chest, his palms hazy with cool light.

"The wounds are not closing properly. The bleeding has slowed, that is all. I did what I can with my limited healing but he will need the attention of the court healers to treat the worst of his injuries." Sage quickly sheathed his sword and put his arms under Rowan's knees and back. He stood up, careful not to jostle his brother. Rowan moaned.

Puck cursed. "You'd better hurry. We're about to drown in spiders."

Ash turned towards Puck and saw a metallic wave shimmering in the valley through the trees. He sheathed his sword and took up the reigns. Ash gave his horse a small nudge and his long time companion, familiar with the smallest movement, set off.

He saw Puck shove the glass daggers inside his sleeves, kneel and bury his hands in the forest floor. The ground shook and the stallion became disoriented for a moment before it resumed running. A flat boulder appeared and rose up between them and the incoming enemy.

Not taking any chance, he tightened his grip on the princess and leaned forward. "Hold on to me. Do not let go."

He felt Meghan nod and her arms were suddenly wrapped around his back. He urged his stallion faster.

The stone wall gave Sage enough time to put Rowan on his horse and saddle up behind him. As soon as he was astride, his horse leapt and galloped after their youngest. Puck, back in his equine form was riding sentry from behind.

* * *

The ground began to rumble, the night sky filling with the sharp sound of small metal legs crisscrossing each other. Megan took a peek over Ash's shoulder and saw the undulating shimmer like liquid mercury spilling over the stone wall that Puck erected.

She didn't know if they were close enough to her father's territories to reach the border guards and get help. Though Ash remained cool she could feel the tension in him. She looked down at his arms and saw his hands were clenched tightly on the reigns.

She glanced to the side and watched Puck. His breathing was lathered, evidence of how much strain he was under from running full gallop for so long. On the other side, Rowan, drained of color and still bleeding, was drooping in the saddle even with Sage holding him up. Looking up, she noticed Ash's features seem sharpened. The bones standing out on his face and his lips compressed into a tight line.

Her heart sank. Even with the formidable power of Ash and probably Prince Sage, with a wounded Rowan, a ran down Puck and a powerless half-fey (her), they were too vulnerable to risk making another stand.

She looked back at the wave of spiders. Some of the creatures in the back looked larger, as big as a Volkswagen Beetle. The sharp ends of their mandibles glinted in the moonlight. The roar of so much clashing metal filled her with dread. She watched the metallic wave swell bigger.

Megan gasped._They were getting closer! _

Unconsciously, she reached out a hand towards the metallic wave. All around her things slowed down. The pounding of hooves beat in rhythm with the pounding of her heart until she could hear nothing else. Fine strands of white blond hair flashed through her periphery like light from a fairy sprite wings. Everything became a vacuum.

She thought one word. _Stop. Stop. STOP!_

Sound suddenly crashed back to her. Her ears popped like when she'd just burst out of the pool. The searing pain that lanced through her head made her abruptly nauseous. Her hand fell limply. She suddenly felt exhausted. Meghan kept her eyes on the enemy even as her sight began dimming. They seem farther away than a moment ago.

Her last thought before she passed out was, _I hope I don't throw up on Ash._

* * *

_Meghan._

_Meghan._

_You need to wake up, Meghan._

"Princess Meghan."

Meghan's eyes popped open. She jerked up to sitting position and immediately regretted it. "Ow. Ow. Ow!"

She pressed her palm into her forehead. "Augh. I feel sucky."

She pulled up her legs and rested her head on her knees. The surface under her felt soft and silky. She cautiously peered through her fingers. A pair of worried doe eyes looked back at her. _Tansy._

Meghan took in the sweeping archways with the intricate relief sculptures of ivy and flowering plants. The warm diffused glow lighting the room. The familiar canopy above the bed she was currently lying in. _My bedroom._

"So we got back all right." Meghan sighed in relief. She turned to Tansy. "What happened? Where's everyone?"

"M'lady." Tansy twisted her hands anxiously. "We are so glad you are safe. The king was quite worried that something might befall you out on the wyld."

"Tansy, I've asked you before to drop the honorific and just call me Meghan."

Tansy nodded. "Of course, m'lady. Now that you are awake, I've been tasked to escort you to the throne room by the king."

Tansy moved off the bed and took hold of a heavily embroidered pearl colored robe draped over a chair. She held the robe open expectantly. "Please, m'lady."

Meghan sighed. She had been trying to break the satyr's habit of calling her so formally. After all, Tansy was the closest she could call a friend in the land of the fey other than Puck and Grim. Though the cat was really more a sporadic ally when the feline felt it convenient for him.

Meghan got off the bed wincing when the slight jostle caused renewed pain to beat through her head. Between passing out on the saddle and waking up in her room her outfit had changed from an evening gown to a gossamer shift that ended mid-calf with a lattice of thin, delicate lace hugging her upper shoulders. She also felt fresh and when she looked down at her bare legs they were also clean.

_Probably Tansy's doing. _Meghan thought absently.

When the satyr first tried to assist her in her ablutions she had balked at the idea and had a spirited talk with Tansy over much tugging of the towel. It was very embarrassing to strip down in front of a stranger and have that stranger help her take a bath like a child. In the end, Tansy had left mumbling about the strange ways of humans.

_In this case though, I'd take waking up clean to waking up still be caked in mud and sweat. _Meghan rubbed her forehead again.

"Are you all right, m'lady?" Tansy asked worriedly.

"Just a headache." Meghan put her arms through the sleeves while Tansy moved in front of her to arrange the robe's closure. "You don't happen to have aspirin lying around here would you?"

"M'lady?" Tansy cocked her head in confusion. "Aspren? Is that an herb?"

"Nevermind. My bad for asking a stupid question." Meghan said wryly.

Tansy finished belting the robe over the square of lace she tucked into the neckline and went around Meghan again to begin plaiting her hair. Meghan stood quietly as Tansy quickly arranged her hair. She noticed that the satyr was more gentle than usual when handling the long blond locks.

"I take it the king's mad?" Meghan asked.

Tansy let out a nervous giggle. "Quite, m'lady. It was very grave in the court for a while. There's now a river in the flatland at the foot of the nearest mountain to the court."

"What?!"

"The king is very powerful." Tansy said, her voice awed. After a last tug, she went around Meghan smiling brightly. "But, all ended well. You are returned to us in safety. There was much fuss from the winter nobles when you rode up in Prince Ash's mount."

Meghan looked at Tansy warily. "Why?" _Did I throw up on him?!_

"The satyrs are not as biased as the summer sidhe against the winter fey." she whispered to Meghan confidingly. "Prince Ash is very handsome."

Tansy giggled again. "You looked very beautiful together especially when he strode through the crowd carrying you in his arms."

"_He carried me?!"_ Meghan squeaked. She hid her face in her hands. "Oh god."

Tansy fluttered her hands consolingly. "Oh, but m'lady! Queen Mab is so pleased! And with her majesty appeased the king is also in good spirits again."

"Now, we must hurry to the throne room. Their majesties are gathered there and asked for your presence the moment you awoke."

Meghan allowed herself to be towed forward through the door and down the hallway leading to the throne room.

"Wait! What about Puck? He hasn't been punished has he?" Meghan asked worriedly. "I have to tell the king to let Puck off. He really didn't mean to take me away. It was just a misunderstanding."

"Oh no, m'lady. I don't know. But, Sir Goodfellow is also with their majesties right now. So, hurry, hurry."

Meghan followed Tansy quietly, inwardly wondering what she could say to convince her father to not turn Puck into another bird. At least, not permanently.

When they reached the throne room the sidhe knights standing beside the wide, tall doors parted. Tansy let go of Meghan's arm, gave a quick bow and backed away.

Meghan took a deep breath and looked at one of the knights. At her nod, they opened the doors to the throne room.

"Princess Meghan, daughter of Oberon."

Meghan started. She searched behind her where the voice came from and found another sidhe dressed in shades of yellow and gold standing just inside by the door. He was the one who announced her presence to the people inside. With that done, he gave a low bow, his long hair brushing the floor and withdrew closing the door behind him.

Meghan turned back to the assembly before her. Her father, the king was sitting in his throne with the summer Queen, Titania sitting beside him in an identical golden chair. Opposite was Queen Mab in a similar chair but made of obsidian stone chased with silvery veins. Prince Ash and Prince Sage was on either side of her. A round stone table with unrolled scrolls lying on top sat between the two monarchs.

She looked around looking for a familiar carroty head. _Tansy said he'd be here._

"Daughter, approach." The king stood with his hand held out in her direction.

Meghan walked the distance of the floor conscious of the silent gazes thrown her way by all the royalty in the room. _Like a pinned insect under a microscope. _She was half expecting a spotlight to pop over her and follow her progress as she went up to the king.

She gingerly took the hand of the king and felt his fingers close over hers. "Father, if I may explain–"

"There is no need, my daughter. Puck has informed us of what occurred in the wyld."

Meghan looked at her father worriedly. "Puck. Is he–where is he?"

"I'm right here, Princess."

Meghan looked behind her father and found Puck standing by the King's furrowed her brow. _Where'd he come from? He looks different. Did he do something to his hair?_

"Quiet." The king commanded raising a hand to Puck.

King Oberon led her to another chair sitting empty on the other side of the king's throne. "Prince Ash and Prince Sage have reported the same events as Puck."

Meghan wondered why Puck wasn't punished. Surely, if the King was as angry as Tansy implied, Puck should be a deer turning on a spit in an open fire right now.

The King gestured to the winter royals. "The hunt for you was successfully brought about by Prince Ash. As such, I owe him a boon."

_Oh, great. Another burden to my father. _Meghan inwardly cringed. She remembered when Grim had extracted a 'small favor' from her that her father had assumed responsibility for.

Meghan looked over and met Prince Ash's gaze. His face was expressionless as usual. She looked away.

"The presence of the Iron fey so near our territory is grim news." Queen Mab said. "We knew they are gathering but to be so close and in such number is worrying. We must secure the alliance now."

"Ah, yes. The alliance." Oberon turned to look at Meghan. "Daughter, we last agreed that you be allowed to choose your consort at the end of Elysium. However, the circumstances as they are now call for a more immediate decision."

Meghan opened her mouth to protest.

"But, the actions of Puck have complicated the situation."

Meghan closed her mouth and turned to Puck in confusion.

"You were fading, Meggie-girl." Puck said softly. "I had to do something."

"Fading? What do you mean? Isn't it only fey who can fade?" She turned to her father. "If you're talking about me passing out, it's not a big deal. I think I was nauseous but...I didn't turn transparent and disappear."

"That's not what fading means, Meggie-girl." Puck laughed quietly.

Oberon glanced at Puck. "Something happened while you were being chased by the iron fey."

Meghan waited for her father to say more. It was weird for the king to be so hesitant. "Yes…and we got away. Isn't that good?"

"They stopped moving against us." Ash spoke out curtly. He turned to face Meghan. "You stopped them, Princess. I felt the power flow out of you."

"Huh? I don't think so." Meghan shrugged. "Maybe they just decided we were already in summer court territory and didn't want to risk it."

"No. We were still at least a mile away from the court. They would have caught up to us before we reached summer territory and we would have been forced to battle with them."

"Well, I didn't stop them. I'm half-human. I don't have any power especially not over the iron fey."

"Apparently, not so." Queen Mab was eyeing her speculatively.

Oberon shot Mab a warning glance. "Something happened," he repeated. "and stopped the iron fey from moving. After that event you lost consciousness and started to fade."

"By fade, we mean you started to die." Puck said quietly.

Meghan lifted startled eyes to him. Puck met her gaze.

"The fey part of you anyway."

"So, that would just leave me human?"

"No. You would have turned into a wraith. A shadow existence. Death would have been kinder."

"Oh." Meghan involuntarily shivered at the thought. Then, she got curious, "But, why would I fade?"

"There is….power within you." Oberon started reluctantly. "Power that is neither summer or winter. Your fading right after the enemy desisted led us to the conclusion that it was through your power that they halted their advance against your party."

"Puck….shared his life force, his fey essence….to save you." The Erlking gave Puck an unsmiling look. "Which is why he has earned a reprieve for taking you away from the safety of the court."

_Eww. That sounded gross. _Meghan made a face at Puck, "You didn't do anything…weird did you?"

"That's the thanks I get for saving your life?"

Meghan blushed. "Sorry. I make jokes when I get nervous. Thanks, Puck."

Puck leaned against the throne. "Don't thank me just yet. Hear out the rest of it."

Meghan turned back to the king expectantly. Normally, he wouldn't have allowed anybody to interrupt him. _He's acting really strange tonight._

"What my husband is unwilling to say, girl, is your life is now tied with that of his pet." Queen Titania's sneered. "His pet has diminished himself to save you. He has lost power in exchange for your life and an alliance is no longer possible if you are already bound to another."

"Puck?" Meghan turned a horrified gaze to her friend. "Is this true?"

Puck grimaced. "More or less."

_We can talk to each other this way also._

Meghan gave a start when she heard Puck's voice echo through her head. _What the?_

_Yeah. I also get flashes of what you're feeling. Like right now, I can feel that you're upset by all this. _

Meghan put her hands to her head. _This is awful._

"It's not that bad, you know." Puck said tightly. "Would you rather have lived a half life with a shadow existence?"

Rather than answer Puck, she asked her father. "Is it permanent?"

"A sharing such as the one enacted by Puck is done only in the direst of circumstances. Very few fey are willing to give up the amount of power required to complete the spell. Unfortunately, as it is a rarely used spell, we are not aware of any means that can reverse the process."

"What of the alliance? The invasion of the iron fey?"

Oberon faced Mab. His face resolute.

Queen Mab stood. "Do not worry, summer king. The alliance will proceed. It is even more urgent that we seal it after knowing of the iron fey's strength."

Oberon walked in front of his throne. "Mab, my daughter is now bound to Puck. As my wife has said, a marriage between our children is now impossible." Oberon finished.

"Nonsense." Mab waved the concern away like a bothersome pest. "If that is the only obstacle it is easy enough to look into our lore for a reversal spell."

The king gave Mab a look. "To cast such a spell may cause my daughter to fade completely."

"Not if she can harness this unnamed power within her." Mab's eyes glittered with interest. "To have stopped an entire army of iron fey in their tracks. Think of the possibilities, Oberon. Her power is a mighty weapon badly needed in the coming war."

"We don't even know if I really have that power." Meghan burst out. "What if you're wrong?"

Prince Ash gazed at her. "I felt your power, Princess. I assure you, it couldn't have been anyone else but you."

Oberon was silent for a long while. Puck continued to lean against the throne his arms crossed against his chest. The two winter princes stood unmoving from their post beside the winter throne. Titania was reclining unconcernedly on her golden chair while Mab stood waiting patiently for the king to speak.

Meghan felt like the only one with any emotion in the room. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it wanted to escape from her chest. Her grip on the chair arms was starting to cause tingling pain to shoot up her hands. She stared blindly at the hem of her robe.

_I knew it would lead to this eventually but for them to be so casual about deciding my fate was bad enough but now they also want to use me as a weapon? _

"Husband. It is impossible. To be bound to one and marry another is against our laws." Queen Titania cut in.

_To think that that hag would be championing me in this. _Meghan smiled bleakly. Though for sure the summer Queen didn't intend it that way.

"There are ways around that, Titania." Queen Mab said coolly.

The summer queen harrumphed and stared insistently at the king.

The Erlking finally sighed. He turned to face Meghan. "Daughter."

Meghan looked up at the king. He moved closer to her until he was in front of her. He stared down at Meghan, his eyes sad.

"I cannot dismiss the words of the winter queen or that of my wife. I understand it has been a trial for you but," At this point he reached out and cupped her cheek, raising her head. "you are royal."

"Many things, many sacrifices, are expected of us." he said softly. "I had hoped to keep you away from all of this. Your presence here is something I very much value even without the iron fey to force my hand. Understand that if nothing else."

His hand dropped away. "We will sign the alliance tonight and your marriage to a prince of winter will take place soon after. Do you agree to this, Mab?"

"Yes." Queen Mab gave a small smile. She turned to her sons. "As to who your consort will be…?"

Both men stood stoically under their mother's scrutiny.

"Prince Rowan is still under the healer's care and is not here to stand with his brothers but all three of my sons have shown their willingness for this match. Isn't that so, Ash?" The queen asked.

Ash shot Meghan an unreadable look. "Yes, my queen."

"So, that's it?"Meghan asked disbelievingly. "I just pick one like a prize from a barrel?"

Queen Mab pursed her lips. "Princess Meghan, it would behoove you to be more appreciative of the honor done to you with this union."

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm not as circumspect as you'd expect. Guess, you'll just have to take me as I am, mouthy and half human. And I don't think your _sons_ are as accepting as they present themselves to be. It's not as if any of us have a choice in the matter anyway." Meghan said stiffly.

"Daughter." The Erlking warned.

She stood up. "I choose Prince Sage." Meghan abruptly announced.

Puck straightened from his slouch and shot her a surprised look. _Really?_

_Get out of my head, Puck._

_But… Sage? Really?_

Meghan ignored the voice and approached the two princes. She noticed Ash wouldn't stop staring at her.

Prince Sage met her halfway. He took hold of her hand and lifted it to his lips pressing s soft kiss to the back of her palm. He met her uncertain gaze with calm eyes and gave her a gentle smile.

"I am honored, Princess Meghan."

* * *

**AN: Sooo...thoughts? **

_For all Ash fans, do not lose hope. :D_

_Also, I'm iffy on how I'll do this. Is Puck just gonna be a BFF to Meghan or something more? What do you think?_


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